Stock-car



(No Model.)

B. G. HICKS.

STOCK GAR.

Patent ed July 7, 1891.

Noam: nuns cm, mam-mm, wuumerou n c horses, the double BOHNOHAPINfHIQKs, or CHICAGO, ILL

CAR COMPANY,

PATENT OEEIc IN 018, ASSIGNOR TO THE HICKS STOCK OF \VE ST VIRGINIA.

STOCK-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 455,716, dated July 7,1891.

Application filed April 16,1891. Serial No. 389,196.

To all whom, it hwy concern:

Be it known that I, BOHN CHAPIN HIoKs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Stock-Cars, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to combina tion or double-deck stock-cars.A double deck stock-car is one which has a horizontal intermediatepartition, floor, or deck which divides the car into upper and lowercompartments, the purpose of I the intermediate or double deck being toincrease the capacity of the car for carrying small animals, such assheep or hogs. In the most approved stockcars of the present time thedouble deck is made removable, so that the'car becomes a combination-caradapted both for the transportation of small animals, such as sheep andhogs, and of large animals, such as cattle and deck being removed whenthe cattle are to be transported. It is also desirable that the doubledeckshould be made removable, in order that the car may be utilized asan ordinary box freight-car for carrying ordinary or dead freight, sinceunder ordinary circumstances live stock is only shipped in one directionon a railroad. In providing a stock-car with such a removable doubledeck there are two controlling condi tions. When the double deckoccupies its normal operative position as a deck, it must have a solidfirm support, itmust present an unbroken complete platform for theanimals, and it must, as a consequence, extend the entire width andlength of the car. No uncovered openings or breaks in the double deckare permissible, since the animals would step into them, and thus becomeinjured, audit is equally essential that the deck, while 1novable fromits normal position, Whereit forms a second floor to the car, shouldnevertheless be a permanent portion of the carand not removable entirelyfrom the car. This is obviously necessary, since the deck, if movablefrom the car, would not always be available when needed. Consequentlythe deck when removed from its operative normal position in the car mustbe stored within when thus stored it should not interfere with thecapacity of the car for carrying cattle (or (No model.)

ordinary dead freight) to the minimum extent, and' be, if possible,utilized for beneticial purposes. In order that the double deck mayfulfill these essential requirements, it has been the usual practice tomake the deck of a number of sections of such size as to be convenientlyhandled within the car, and the deck-sections when not in operativeposition have been stored within the car, in some instances at the endsand in other cases in the roof of the car. As between storing thedeck-sections in the in the roof the latter method is preferable and isadopted in the most approved cars, since valuable space is occupied bystoring the sections in the ends of the car, whereas when the sectionsare stored in the roof of the car they are not only out of the way, butthey can also be used for beneficial purposes. The present inventionrelates particularly to such doubledeck cars where the sections of whichthe deck is composed are storedwholly at the roof of the car; butinstoring the double deck in the roof of the car there are a number ofcircumstances which must be taken into consideration. In the first placeit is exceedingly desirable, when the car is used as a catdays.

tie-car, that the interior should be divided into compartments byvertical partitions extending crosswise of the car. These partitions aremainly desirable because they prevent the cattle from being thrown orbunched at one end of the car by the sud den stopping or starting of thetrain, which would result in injury both to the cattle and to the car.These partitions in the most approved stock-cars are made flexible, sothat they may be raised vertically by rolling and be stored in the roofof the car when not in use, as when the car is used for ordinarydeadfreight purposes. In the second place, stock is frequentlytransported for long distances, requiring it to be kept in the carseveral Consequently it becomes necessary, both for humane reasons andfor the sake the car, and

of maintaining the cattle in the best marketable condition, to makeprovision for feed ing and watering the cattle in transit. "he spacebetween the roof and the doubledeck sections, when the latter are liftedto the roof, aitords ample capacity for storing ends of the car and ICCfeed duringthe longest haul, and it is customary in modern stock-cars toprovide water-troughs along the sides of thec'ar and a waterdistributing tank in communication with the troughs, which tank can bequickly supplied with water at the usual Water-supply-stations along therailroad, and distribute the water uniformly to the watering-troughs. Itis desirable that the Water-tank should be locatedin the roof of thecar, where it is out of the way, and near the center of the car, so thatthe troughs may be uniformly supplied with water.

Another important consideration is the necessity for gaining access tothe interior of the car. Cattle are 7 onto the floor of the car, owingto the stoppage and other sudden movements of the train, and also itoften happens, especially on an unusually long trip, that one (or more)of the cattle falls down through weakness. Unless'such fallen cattle arelifted to their feet they are in danger of being killed or so badlyinjured as to be unfit for slaughtering, owing to theother cattle in thesame compartment trampling upon them. They are also in danger of beingsmothered to death. Accordinglyit is essential to provide somepracticable and convenient means of access to the interior of thecar,when the train is in motion as well as when standing still, toenable one of the stockmen accompanying the train to enter the car andassist the fallen cattle to rise. Access cannot be had through the usualdoors at the center of the sides of the car when the train is in motion,and even if entrance could be had through these usual doors the stockmanwould only gain access to one of the compartments of the car formed bythe flexible transverse partitions. The same objections lie to theopenings usually provided in the ends of the cars. Accordingly specialprovisions are necessary for gaining access to the car. In cattle-carswhich are not provided with double decks the problem is a simple one andhas been solved by means of doors in the roof of the car. Doors solocated are exceedingly well adapted for this purpose,

since the roofs of the cars afford the usual means of communication fromcar to car in a freight-train, and they are consequently convenientlyaccessible to the stockmen when the train is either standing or inmotion; but when, for reasons already suggested, the double-decksections in a combination car have been elevated to the roof,communication to the interior of the car through the roof has been out01f. Several attempts have been made to enable access to be had throughoutwardly-swingin g doors or shutters in the sides of the car; but theyhave proven to be impracticable. Such outwardly-swinging parts cannot beutilized when the train is in motion, since they are in danger ofstriking fixed structures along the tracksuch as bridges, signal-posts,and the like-and passing or standing trains.

frequently thrown down -to the interior of the car Now the object of thepresent invention is to so construct, arrange, and operate the movabledeck that it may fulfill all of the essential features of a double deckand at the same time be properly related to and combined with the otheressential features of the combination-car, so that each feature of thecar may accomplish its particular functions pe'rfectly and properlywithout being interfered with or adversely affected by the double deck.In other words, the object of the invention is to take a stock-car whichhas the verticallymovable transverse partitions and the watering andother appliances up a perfect cattle-car and to apply thereto a which goto make movable double deck, which, when positioned for use, forms afirm, solid, unbroken second floor, and which may be lifted entirelyinto the roof when not in use, and when there not only be wholly out ofthe way and form a feed-storage receptacle, but also permit accessthrough the roofopenings and permit the free and unobstructed use of themovable transverse partitions and of the watering and other appliances.section which, when folded and stowed in'the roof, shall not take up theentire roof-space, but shall leave room in such space for the carryingof any appliances other than those already referred to; or, in otherwords, to provide a deck which shall be continuous and unbroken whendown, covering the whole area of the car, and which shall not becontinuous or cover the entire area when raised.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the novel constructionof the sections of which the double deck is composed, the location ofthe deck-sections in the car relatively to the position of theappliances in the car, and the mode of operation in raising and loweringthe deck-sections.

Each section of which the deck is composed is entirely unattached to theother deck-sections and is independent of them inits movements. useextends entirely across the car and its ends rest upon the beltry-rails,which aiford a firm and solidsupport, so that each section can beappropriately termed a transverse section, since it has no break orjointat right angles to itslength. When the deck-sections are in position foruse, the longitudinal edges of one section fit closely against theadjacent longitudinal edges of the sections on both sides thereof,sothat the several sections together form an unbroken second floor ordeck. When elevated into the roof, the deck-sections still occupy ahorizontal position and extend transversely across the car; but they donot when thus elevated form an unbroken ceiling or false rod; but, onthe contrary, transverse spaces are left between adjacent sections, andthe deck-sections are so arranged and located that a portion of thesetransverse spaces coincide with the roof-openin gs, others occur wherethe vertical movable It is also desirable to have a deck.

Each section when in position for partitions are located, and stillothers occur at the place where the water-supply tank (or tanks) issecured, when such openings, partitions, or tanks are used; but whenthey are not used the spaces may come at any point desired. Now, toenable these transverse spaces between adjacent deck-sections to beprovided when the deck-sections are raised each decksection is made oftwo parts hinged together.

The joint between thetwo parts or leaves of each deck-section extendslongitudinally with reference to the deck-section, and consequentlytransversely with reference to the car. The two parts or leaves of eachdecksection are so hinged together that when the deck-section occupiesits normal position as a part of the double deck they lie in the sameplane side by side; but when the deck-section is elevated to the roofthe two leaves or parts fold the one upon the other, so that thelongitudinal space in the car occupied by the deck-section when raisedis less than when the deck-section is positioned for use. Consequentlywhen the severalrdeck-sections thusv constructed are elevated transversespaces are left between them.

The present improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein Fig. 1 isa longitudinal vertical section of a. por-.

tion of a double-deck or combination car provided with theimprovemeuts,and Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of the double-decksections.

Referring to the drawings, A is the floor,

B the roof, Othe side studdings, D the carlings, and F the beltry-rails,of an ordinary stock-oar.

The car as thus far described constitutes,

simply, a cattle-car, and the features and applianoesthus far describedpossess in themselves no novelty; The caris, it willbe understood, to beequipped, as is usual, with drinking-troughs properly arranged (which,however, are not shown in the drawings) and with suitable feed-racks.The drawings are intended to show a modern cattle-carequipped with themost approved appliances.

The double deck is formed of a plurality of independent deck-sections Ee. The proper number of these independent deck-sections is determined bythe length of the car, the number of compartments into which it isdivided 'bythe vertical transverse partitions, and the considerationsrelating to convenience in handling. The drawings illustrate a portionof a car of about thirty-six feet in length, (a usual and customarylength,) divided into three compartments. Accordingly the double deck ismade up of six independent sections of equal size, two being providedfor each compartment. This makes the deck-sections of a convenient sizefor handling.

Each deck-section is, as a whole, a parallelogram and extendstransversely across the car without any joint extending longitudinallyof the car. Each deck-section is supported, when positioned for use, byits ends resting on the beltry-rails F, whereby a firm. and solidsupport is obtained. Each decksection is composed of two parts, members,or

leaves E and r These two parts or members are separated by ajointtextending transjoint between them, and the several deck-sections,when in position for use, lie closely together, as shown at the left inFig. 1, so that an unbroken second floor is formed. however,

5 I \Vhen, each deck-section is raised, one of' the two parts of whichit is formed is folded upon the other part, (as indicated at the rightin Fig. ;1,) so that transverse spaces p are provided between adjacentdeck-sections.

Theme'ans employed for raising ,and'low ering the several deck-sectionsindependently ofv each other and for holding the deck-sections whenelevated in a horizontal position and in a secure manner, are asfollows: Each deck-section is joined to the car by one or more cables L,(two, one at each end, being the preferred number,) such cables servingto support the deck-sections during 'ioc the folding and unfoldingoperations, and being like and serving the same purpose as the rods H,set forth in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 344,0i4, grantedto me June 22, 1886. The cables are flexible, so that flexible junctionsbetween the deck-sections and the car are provided,an'd they are madelong enough so that when the deck is lowered for use no part of theweight of the stock will be devolved upon the cables, the beltry-railstaking up the entire burden at such times. The

cables are attached at their upper ends to brackets or to the carlings,as preferred. The brackets are not essential, because the cables willsustain the raised and folded deck-sections at the side where saidbrackets are located, should the brackets be omitted.

" The parts of each folding deck-section are preferably so hingedtogether, as shown, that the under side of the two parts come togetherwhen the section is folded, the special object being to avoid bringingthe upper or floor surfaces together, which would be objectionable,because these surfaces are usually covered with manure and could notwell be folded one upon the other by reason of such accumulations:Another advantage attending this preferred manner of hinging isthat'when the deck-section is reversed, as it is in the act of raisingit to the upper position, the folding member 6 is sustained and neitherhangs down nor requires means to hold it up against the'main member E. Y

Although I have spoken of the advantages to be derived from using thisform of deck in connection with a car having openings in the roof andflexible partitions, it will be obvious that these are not the onlyadvantages, and that the deck might be used in a car which had neitherthe openings in the roof nor the flexible partitions, the spacesfurnished between the sections of deck when stowed away in the roofbeing capable of utilization for many other purposes, as for storingvarious appliances for the car, &c., and I do not herein claim this deckin connection with the roofopenings or flexible partitions, since whenso connected and combined the deck is the subject of another patent, No.l51,682; but in this application I desire to cover the deck, broadly, inwhatever connection it may be used.

I claim- A stock-car having a double deck composed of a plurality ofindependentlymovable transverse deck-sections which are movable from aposition where they form the double deck to a position where eachsection is wholly in the roof of the car when not in use, each of saiddeck-sections extending transversely and horizontally across the carwhen in use and also when raised to the roof, and each of said sectionsbeing composed of two members hinged together, the joint between saidmembers' extending transversely across the car, whereby when all of suchsections are in position for use an unbroken double deck is formed, butwhen such deck-sections are raised the members of each section arefolded upon each other, providing a plurality of spaces between theseveral sections, and means for supporting said deck-sections in theroof of the car when not in use, substantially as described.

BOI-IN CI'IAPIN HICKS. Vitn esses:

GEORGE S. PAYSON, SAMUEL E. HIBBEN.

